cation, fenfual inclinations, animal paffions, and numerous bad examples-which prevailing mifrepresentations of religion, and the much stronger impreffions of fenfible objects on the mind, than of objects rational and fpiritual, raife in the way to an established virtue and an exalted devotion: that a great part even of a well improved life is spent in removing or conquering these. And by the time this is accomplished, and a perfon become meet to enjoy his reward, in the fatisfactions of a mature piety and virtue, life is at an end.

then all is ordered,

If the prefent life be a ftate of trial and preparation for another, and they, who fincerely endeavour to qualify themselves for enjoying a rational and divine felicity, fhall poffefs it after deathas we might expect it would be ordered, by alwife, almighty and unbounded Benevolence. And even what we term the evils and imperfections of life, are inftances of a most wife Benevolence; being proper exercises of virtue and piety, and means of improving in thefe, or correctives of vice. Our being

able

able to discover in our Creator a goodness infinite and everlasting, is itself a proof, that if we are not inexcufably wanting to him, and to ourselves, we fhall be objects of it in eternity. Otherwise he would have made us' as unapprehenfive of it, and as void of expectations from it, as the beafts that perish. Add to this, that the rational creation of this infinitely and everlasting benevolent Father, continually advancing under his eye in goodness and devotion, in a ftate where all the obftacles to these muft naturally ceafe; will still grow more worthy of his kind regards, and more the objects of his unchangeable benignity forever.

But upon the fuppofition that no future fate is defigned for man, can we say, that the best and happiest enjoy here a degree of happiness, correfponding to the diftinction, with which his Creator hath treated him, or to the noble faculties he hath given him? Or fuch as might have been reafonably expected from a Father, whofe benevolence is infinite, almighty and everlafting?

Since then we have fuch proofs of the unbounded and everlafting goodness of our Maker, let us regard this life in the view, wherein alone it appears worthy of this perfection; that is, as opening into another, an everlasting life. In this view, the vanity and the evils of life will become fubfervient to our acquiring folid fatisfactions. And the largenefs and nobleness of our capacities, which caufe us to be diffatisfied with any prefent enjoyments, will give us the fatisfactions of rational and exalted hopes. We fhall regard the shortnefs of the prefent life, as an affurance from the alwife benevolence of our Crea tor, that we are defigned for a more lasting life in a better world; and as an inftance of his great kindness, who will not detain us longer from the world of perfection and felicity, than is neceffary for our becoming meet to enjoy it. And who will then make us bleffed to a degree, and for a duration, worthy his infinite and everlafting benevolence; on condition that by cultivating a difpofition for the fatisfactions of knowledge, goodness and devotion, which

are

are in their nature unbounded, we will qualify ourselves to become divinely bles fed forever.

May he bless what has been offered, for rendering us all fo wife and happy! Amen.

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SERMON